


Bluejay Baby

by RileeTheRiddler



Series: Bluejay Baby [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Adventure, Crack Treated Seriously, F/M, Family, Fluff, Mentions of Cannabalism, Oral Sex, Praise Kink, Romance, Sirens, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-24 07:48:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30068997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RileeTheRiddler/pseuds/RileeTheRiddler
Summary: Sirens were rare, flighty individuals that took what they wanted and lived for their freedom. Nothing could tie them down.... Too bad one chick was born just a bit different.
Relationships: Vinsmoke Sanji/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Bluejay Baby [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2212221
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	Bluejay Baby

**Author's Note:**

> Well well well, look who wrote an especially lengthy one shot instead of updating Sea Breezes. Not I certainly *whistles innocently*

Baby learned how to fly at her mother’s knee. Groggy and mussed, her down feathers stuck up in every direction until her mother’s gentle hand smoothed them out.

She loved her mother. Large, crooning warbles escaped from her throat to soothe Baby to sleep and cawed at her in warning when she stepped too close to the edge of the nest. 

It was all she knew until one day she did step too close to the edge of the nest. With a gentle push of encouragement, mother pushed her out. Baby let the wind catch her wings for a few freeing seconds before she stumbled to a stop on the leaf strew ground. 

Laughing chirps filled the air and Baby looked up at mother still in the nest. She chirped back an irritated warble. “Mama! Mean!”

“It’s time for you to fly, Baby.” She said and glided down gracefully next to her. “You do want to fly, right?”

She chirped her answer. Of course, she did.

“Then you must jump first, Baby.” Mother scooped her up and flew them back to the nest. “So you may fly far and wide one day.”

Baby liked the sound of that but…“with Mama?”

Her mother shook her head. “No, darling. By yourself. We all must have our own adventures. Soon, I’ll return to mine and you’ll begin yours.”

Baby didn’t like the sound of that. How would she live without her mother? She was so small and mother so large. “But not today Baby. You have much to learn. 

Mother taught her many things. How to fly, how to eat, how to always return home. Baby’s favorite lessons were how to change her form. One second she would be small and lightly boned with wind underwings and the next second she could be large, naked, and sure-footed on the ground. She hoped one day to be able to combine the forms like mother, a half-bird half-human shape that seemed to be the best of both forms. 

But Baby wasn’t very good at it yet, mother promised she’d get better with practice. As Baby grew, mother became restless. Her feathers ruffled and she kept looking towards the sun until one day she swept Baby up in her arms and buried her beak in her feathers. “Baby.” She said seriously. “I’ve taught you what I can. The rest you must learn on your own. Fly free and wide and one day we might meet again.”

Mother left that evening and Baby cried for her loss. She was nearly out of the childhood of her body but her heart and mind still ached for the only other person she’d ever known. She wasn’t strong enough to follow after mother yet so all she could do was watch her shrink on the horizon, flying off into the setting sun. 

Baby was alone after that. She hated it. She promised to never leave her chicks alone if she had any. It was cruel. 

Mother had said it was just the way things were with their species. Baby thought it was stupid. Surely they weren’t meant to be alone? How many other chicks had mother hatched just to leave? She felt abandoned. Sad croons filled the air as she cried her heart out to the unfeeling ocean. 

She hated the lonely spec of land she’d been hatched on and she hated the loneliness and she hated the setting sun. The second she was strong enough, she was leaving. 

Baby didn’t have a good understanding of time. It was meaningless to her. The sun rose and she woke up to hunt, it grew high in the sky and she napped, it sunk low and she played and daydreamed of a future when she wasn’t so lonely, the sun set and she slept. 

One day, Baby watched the sunrise and decided she was leaving. She’d grown enough and felt she could make it. Make it to where she didn’t know. She didn’t know anything about the world outside her spec of land. But Baby would rather die than stay there another dawn. 

She cawed her resolve to the world and took flight to the east. It was the opposite direction mother had taken off in. Foolish? Maybe. But Baby didn’t want to see mother anymore. She’d find new family and friends and would never abandon them.

Baby flew for a long time. Sometimes she rested on pieces of driftwood or rocky outcrops. She hunted when she got hungry and got really good at reading the air currents. 

She’s rested in the rigging of a ship only once. The sight of other people had excited her. Even though Baby could tell they weren’t like her. They’d shot at her and tried to eat her though so Baby had flown away as fast as she could. They were scary! Baby wasn’t for eating. She was the one who ate others! 

Well. Other fish and berries and coconuts. But still!

Baby enjoyed her trip for the most part. It was lonely but never as lonely as her island. She was tired though and growing increasingly bored when a lush paradise appeared before her. 

It was huge. She saw what she thought might be a village in the distance. Mother had taught her many things and one of them was to always be wary of human settlements so Baby steered clear. She landed on a giant tree overlooking a cliff and basked in her success. 

Take that, mother! She’d gotten off her spec of land and reached a huge island. Surely she’d find some friends here. 

After Baby rested though, she was tired. She shuffled along the tree limb until she was covered by the leaves and tucked her beak under her wing. 

An unfamiliar sound whizzed through the air and Baby suddenly found herself falling. She cawed frantically as she fell to the ground and struggled but a strange net was tangled in her limbs. 

“Alright! A snack!” A voice called. Baby struggled even more as she felt herself get caught by human arms until she transformed out of sheer self-preservation. “AHH ITS A GIRL!” The human holding her dropped her and Baby swiftly rolled herself away and out of the net. 

She jumped to her feet and transformed back to her bird form to try and fly away but the human grabbed her again. “Hey wait! I’ve never met a bird-girl before.” She flapped frantically trying to get away. “I’m sorry for trying to eat you.” The human said. 

Seeing as she wasn’t getting anywhere Baby slowed her struggling and the human clutched her close to his chest. She spat threatening shrieks at the human. “I don’t speak bird. " He lifted her to his face and large black eyes filled up her whole vision. 

She contemplated the human. Her heart was slowing down. She changed back and his eyes widened as she shifted to look like a human. He was still holding her. “I said, let me go before I peck out your eyeballs.”

“Oh, Shishishishi. Sorry. Here you go.” He plopped her on the ground and stepped back. “You’re naked.” He observed. 

“Of course I am. This is my human shape. It doesn’t have any feathers.” She said. Was the human dumb or something? 

“Right. That makes sense.” An awkward moment of silence before they both spoke at the same time. 

“So do you…?” He asked.

“Are you a….?”

They both stopped. Baby pushed forward. “So are you a boy human?”

“Shishishi, of course!” He said. “What are you?”

“I’m a girl siren.”

“Oh.” He took that in. “Do you poop?”

Baby thought that was a weird question. “Of course. Do humans not poop?”

“Yeah, but my brother said that girls don’t poop.” The human boy said. 

“Well, maybe human girls don’t.” Baby offered. She was by no means a human expert. “I’m Baby, what’s your name?”

“Monkey D. Luffy, I’m going to be king of the pirates!”

She took the other in with a sharp gaze. “That’s a long name. Why do you have it?” Baby asked. She had her name because she was a baby siren and that’s what mother called her. Mother’s name was mother, sometimes Mama, because that’s what she was to Baby. 

“Ehh I don’t know. It’s just my name. But you can call me Luffy!” He offered. 

“Oh okay. Are you a Luffy?”

He looked at her weirdly. “I’m the only Luffy on the island.” So maybe there were other Luffy’s on other islands. “You’re kind of weird.”

Baby huffed out a breath. “You’re weird. I don’t get humans at all.”

“Shishishishi, I guess we’re even then, Baby.” He paused. “Want to be friends?”

Baby lit up. YES! She’d done it. It wasn’t even that hard. She was about to make a friend! Take that mother. But that reminded her…. “On one condition!” She demanded. 

Luffy cocked his head to the side in the same way mother sometimes did when Baby did something strange. “What is it?”

“You have to promise to never abandon me!”

“Shishishishi! DEAL!” He laughed and Baby felt joyful chirps built up in her throat. A friend! Wow. She was giddy with it. 

———

Luffy led her to his nest after that. She changed back to her bird form and perched on his shoulder as he walked through the forest chattering away. Baby listened intently and chirped answers to simple questions he asked. 

As much as Luffy claimed to not speak bird, Baby thought he was pretty good at understanding her. She didn’t change back until they climbed into his home. It vaguely resembled a ship. “Wow Luffy, your nest is so big. Mama told me humans lived on the ground. I guess she was wrong…” Thoughts of mother always depressed Baby but Luffy’s laughter kept her attention. 

“Everyone else does! But we wanted to live where we could see the ocean. And one day I want to live on the sea!” 

“We? Your nestmates?” She asked curiously. 

He cocked his head again. Baby wondered if he had any bird in him. “My brothers.”

“I don’t have any of those.” Baby said. Luffy seemed sad at the mention of his brothers. Maybe they had left him like mother left her? “I had a Mama but she left.”

“A mom? I never had one of those.” He said. Baby felt her eyes widen. 

“Really? I thought everyone did. Where did you come from then?”

Luffy’s big eyes stared at her curiously. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I was hatched out of an egg that my Mama had to sit on for months. Do humans not come from eggs?” 

Luffy hummed in thought. He turned a contemplating gaze towards the sky. “I don’t think so? I think we come from the ocean. "

“The ocean? That’s strange.”

He shrugged. “I’ve never really thought about it.”

“Are you sure you’re human?”

“Definitely!”

Baby was amazed. She didn’t know humans were so interesting. Luffy started talking again before she could get lost in her thoughts. “Hey, do you want some clothes? I think some of my brother’s old things might fit.”

“Clothes?” She chirped curiously. Luffy tugged on his red covering. 

“Like what I’m wearing. Humans don’t like when people go around naked. I used to get in so much trouble for it.” He grumbled. 

Baby found herself interested. “Really? How strange. And you can just take it off without hurting?”

Luffy rummaged around in a corner and pulled out something dark blue. “This is a shirt. It matches your hair.” 

She took it when he offered it and held it in from of her. It didn’t match her hair at all. Her hair was a lovely blue the exact shade of the sky on a cloudless day. It did match the scruff around her neck and the stripes on her tail feathers though. She wrapped it around her neck.

“Eh,” Luffy said. “No, it goes over your head.”

Baby set the blue cloth on her head. Luffy was looking at her weirdly again. She wasn’t the one covering her skin in fake feathers though so she didn’t see where he was coming from. He reached over to help and Baby squawked as he forced her head through a small hole hidden in the fabric and pulled the shirt down her front. It fell to her thighs. 

She squirmed in discomfort. “Ugh. This is awful. I hate it.”

Luffy observed her struggle with wide, black eyes. “You need pants too. That’s what Makino always said when I was little.”

Baby didn’t like the sound of that. “I don’t think I need those.” She tried. 

“Well, I don’t know about girls. Maybe a skirt? We don’t have any of those. We might have to ask Dadan….” He trailed off.

Baby didn’t know what a makino or a dadan was but they sounded bossy. “I’m fine really.” She tried again but Luffy was already holding out a pair of what she could only assume was pants. 

“You have to step into them,” he explained. Baby could envision the same uncomfortable fabric currently wrapped around her chest encasing her legs and shivered. But she steeled herself. She was among humans and she needed to respect their ways. She put on the pants. 

It was awful. 

She held herself stiffly for Luffy’s inspection. He put a hand on his chin and walked in circles around her. “It’ll do.” He finally proclaimed. “We’ll have to ask Makino for girl clothes later.”

“Is it common?” She asked. “For boys and girls to have different clothes?”

Luffy nodded. “Yeah, but it doesn’t really matter.” What a confusing answer. She felt a yawn building up in her throat and let it out. She was very tired. 

“Sleepy? Let’s take a nap!” Luffy exclaimed and pulled her over to a different corner. It was padded and soft, she pushed it down with her hand. 

“Is it a cloud?” She asked. She’d never felt anything like it. 

“Umm, it’s a bed?” He said. Baby thought she could grow to like beds. She transformed into her bird form, as she always did to sleep, and squawked as she immediately drowned in fabric. Gentle hands untangled her and set her on the bed. 

“Dummy.” He chided. She ignored him to circed around before plopping down in the middle of the bed. “Scootch over! You can’t hog the whole bed!” She huffed but obligingly moved over. Luffy was so demanding. 

As she drifted off the sleep, Baby chirped happily. She was so happy to have found a friend. 

——-

The next few days were some of the best Baby could remember. Luffy showed her all sorts of things from the best place to find fruit, to the best stream to get clean in, to the bandit hideout not far from his nest. 

Their nest. Baby had claimed it as hers too. Luffy had seemed please when she announced it one evening as he hauled a giant animal back and she strolled beside him. She had several shiny rocks in the pockets of her pants, which was about the only thing the clothes were good for in her opinion and had asked for Luffy’s opinion on the best place for them.

“Rocks? I dunno. Anywhere is good. Why?” Luffy had asked.

“Our nest must be the best or else other birds might try to claim it, Luffy.” She explained to the boy. She’d found he knew nothing of birds. 

“I’ll punch them if they try!” He replied heatedly before pausing to stare at her. “…our nest?”

Baby stared challengingly at Luffy. “Yes. OUR nest.” She stopped. “…unless you want me to leave.” She didn’t like the idea and the nest was big enough for them both so she didn’t see why he was being difficult. 

Luffy had turned his wide black eyes on her. “You’re staying?”

“Well duh. You’re MY friend. That means we stick together. You already agreed so no takebacks!” Baby pushed down the voice that said no one would ever love her. Luffy had already agreed to their friendship. He wasn’t like mother who could just leave whenever she wanted. He didn’t even have wings. 

“Shishishishi! Great! Our nest! But it’s actually a treehouse, you know? And the rocks should go by the window if you want other birds to see them.” Luffy’s chatter had filled her ears the rest of the walk back to their nest, treehouse, whatever.

She’d also found out Luffy was some sort of stretchy human. Rubber, he called it. The bandits weren’t rubber and neither was any other human but Luffy had eaten a weird fruit and it turned him into rubber. 

Baby wasn’t sure she believed the story. She was becoming more convinced by the day that Luffy wasn’t human. He didn’t match at all what mother had said humans were like. The bandits in their hut fit the description to a tee but Luffy in his treehouse nest with his rubber skin and wild laughter reminded her more of a forest nymph.

She thought maybe he was the half-divine child of a god. When mother explained the history of their species she’d said sirens were descended from the goddess of fertility and the cycle of rebirth. It’s why she’d hatched Baby and also why they were known for luring sailors to their death.

Baby had never felt the urge to lure anyone to their death but mother said everyone was different and she’d find her calling one day.

If Baby had to guess, she’d say Luffy was the child of a Goddess of Chaos or a God of Freedom. Maybe a sea god if he’d really been born from the ocean. 

She found herself contemplating it more and more until the day she had to fish a half comatose Luffy out of a shallow lake. He couldn’t swim apparently. Well, definitely not a sea god then. 

In the morning, she still woke with the dawn and would comb through her hair while perched on the tree limb outside her nest and sing a song of the morning to greet the new day. Luffy, without fail, would wake and tumbled over to the window to climb out next to her. Her crooning was something she’d learned from her mother and it brought her peace and tranquility. An excellent way to start the day, in her opinion. Luffy agreed. 

One morning after she finished her song and as she tangled with the ends of her hair, Luffy spoke his first words of the day. “Hey, you should join my crew.”

She glanced at him. “Crew? What do you mean?’

He’d grown used to answering her many questions and didn’t hesitate the answer this one. “I’m going to leave this island and set sail when I turn 17 in two years. I need to gather the greatest crew ever so I can become the king of the pirates!”

“A king, huh?” Baby had heard him say it before. It was fitting for a little godling like him to aim high. “Well, of course, I’m coming. I’ll eat you alive if you try to leave me behind alone on this island.”

“Eh?!” Luffy exclaimed. Baby huffed. She didn’t have a taste for humans flesh like some of the others of her species but still. It was the principle of the matter.

She stopped brushing her hair and turned fully to face Luffy. Her deep blue eyes pierced his black ones. “If you abandon me on this island, I will never forgive you, Luffy. I’ll pluck out your eyes and your tongue and leave your rotting corpse for the vultures. Do you understand?”

He was silent as their eyes remained locked. “So…. that’s a yes?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I’ll join your crew.”

Luffy exploded in excitement beside her. “YES! MY FIRST CREW MATE!”

She smiled at him and resumed brushing her hair. She’d grown attached to the boy. 

“Now you have to call me Captain, okay?” He ordered her. 

“Hmmm, are you a captain yet? You don’t have a ship. You told me the other day a captain had to have a ship.”

Luffy threw out his arms. “I have the treehouse!”

“Our nest doesn’t count.” She shot him down and he crossed his arms and pouted. 

“Whatever. Meanie. ” He grumbled and she smiled at him.

“But I’ll call you Captain when we set out. Two years, you said?”

Luffy started bouncing again. “Yep! Just like my brother Ace! Then we’ll go to the Grand Line to find the One Piece and beat Shanks and become King of the Pirates!”

Baby didn’t know what half of those words meant but she nodded along anyway. “Sounds like a plan.”

“But you need to get stronger,” Luffy said suddenly. 

“Huh? What do you mean?” She looked at him. Stronger? What did he mean by that? She was strong enough to catch the wind under her wings and hunt for the fish she liked. Why would she need to be stronger?

“You’re really weak,” Luffy said seriously. “You’re arms and legs are like noodles.”

Baby felt offended even though she didn’t know what a noodle was. “Why do I need to get stronger?” She asked him.

“Because I don’t want you to get beat up. And being a pirate is dangerous. Shanks told me you have to be strong to beat the Grand Line.”

Pirate, huh? Mother had told her stories about pirates. Luffy had too. She guessed that if she joined Luffy’s crew that technically made her a pirate. She shrugged. Oh well. What else was she going to do? “Fine. Show me how to get stronger.” 

“Shishishishi! Okay!”

Baby felt an ominous tingle run down the length of her spine. If she’d been in her bird form, her feathers would have puffed out. She squinted suspiciously out at the trees. A predator?

“Let’s start now!” He grabbed the comb from her hand and threw it back through the window then jumped down the ground. Baby transformed and followed him. She wondered what he had in mind. 

——-

Six months after meeting Luffy, Baby didn’t regret a thing. Her body constantly ached and she was covered in bruises but she’d never been happier. Luffy was a whirlwind that blew through her life and lifted her up, her wings caught on his storm effortlessly and she glided along at his side. 

She’d also come to learn what true strength was. Luffy was strong. He could punch down trees in a single blow and every time they sparred, he took her down in seconds. 

It was exhilarating. Her blood rushed through her body and Baby found herself addicted. She loved fighting. The singing of her blood as she scraped with the thugs in the trash heap Luffy liked to visit was intoxicating.

Baby grew used to the feeling of pain. She grew to love it. But more than the adrenaline of the fight, she loved the thrill of the win. Triumphing over her foes, beating them into submission, baring her sharp teeth over their necks in a blatant death threat…

She grew to better understand her mother’s stories about their species. It was certainly enthralling to hold a man helpless under her. Luffy said they shouldn’t kill people though. 

“Why not?” She asked. They killed their food all the time. 

“It’s wrong.” He’d said like it was obvious.

Baby furrowed her brow. “Wrong? But they’re weaker. We could eat them, easily.” She’d been crouched over a trash heap opponent at the time and he’d started begging for mercy. Luffy hauled her off her prey.

“No!” He shook her in reprimand. “No! Bad Baby! We don’t eat people!”

Baby watched her prey escape. “Oh.” A pause. “Never?”

“Never.” Luffy agreed solemnly. 

“Then why are we fighting?” Baby was confused. They just let their enemies go? What if they got stronger and came back?

“Righ now, you’re just learning how. I can’t tell you why you’ll be fighting in the future. You have to figure that out on your own.”

That wasn’t helpful at all. “But I can’t fight humans to eat?” She asked again for confirmation. Mother had always said it was fine, in a pinch. Or after mating.

“Right. But good job on that fight. You’re getting stronger.” Luffy congratulated her and let go of her scruff as he set her down roughly. 

Baby preened. 

——-

“FIST OF LOVE!” Luffy went down with a punch to the head and Baby screeched in fury. She transformed into her half-bird form that she’d just recently figured out and dived down on the sudden intruder with a furious cry. Luckily, she’d figured out how to take her clothes with her. 

“Hmm, what this?” The giant human seemed unconcerned as he snatched her out of the air. Baby screeched again and tried to claw his eyes out but she couldn’t reach them. She settled for ripping apart the skin on his arm but her talons slid off what felt like steel. She dove forward with her beak to rip the flesh off of the man but he shook her violently. “Stop that!”

Dazed, Baby found herself hanging limply in his grip. She attempted another furious screech but it turned into an indignant squawk halfway through as the old human hoisted Luffy up next to her and threw them both over his shoulder. 

“Ugh,” Luffy groaned. Baby reached over and grabbed a handful of his hair to comfort herself. “Ooowww, Baby. Too tight.” She loosed her grip.

“What going on?” She hissed at her friend. He just groaned again. 

“It’s Gramps. He’s must be on vacation.” Luffy didn’t seem happy about it. 

“Damn right I’m on vacation, you brat!” The old man thundered. “Here to train you to be a great marine!”

Baby found herself confused. Gramps? Like the father of Luffy’s parent? She cast a side-eye at the giant of a man. Was he a god too?

“And who’s the bird girl, brat?” The giant asked. 

“That’s Baby! She’s part of my crew!”

“Ahh, a future marine. I see.”

“No! My PIRATE Crew! For when I’m the king of the pirates!”

“Stop spouting nonsense! Bad enough Ace went off for a life of crime. You won’t disappoint me too!”

“I’m going to be a PIRATE! Shitty Gramps!”

Baby listened to them bicker until the old man threw them both down in front of him. She transformed back to her fully human form. His rough handling had made her wings sore. 

“You’re going to be a MARINE! SHITTY BRAT!”

“PIRATE!”

“MARINE!”

Baby started to inch away. She wanted no part of this divine spat. A giant hand came down on her head stopping her. “Stop right there. Where did you come from, little bird?”

She gulped while staring up into the man’s eyes. He had Luffy’s eyes, they just lacked any gleam of familiarity. “Uhhh, an egg?”

The old man snorted. “Not what I meant, but okay.”

“Let her go!” Luffy yelled as he tackled his grandfather. Or tried to at least. The old man just lifted his arm and brought Luffy to his face. 

“Oh? And what are you going to do about it?” He taunted Luffy. Baby watched in awe. 

“I’ll fight you! My punch will knock you out in one blow!” Luffy yelled angrily. 

“Have at it Grandson! Let’s see how much you’ve grown!”

Luffy and the grandfather lunged at each other and Baby did her best to stay out of the way. A fight between demigods was no place for her. 

And what a fight it was. Baby felt the adrenaline build under her skin as their punches in turn demolished trees and rocks. For every blow that was dodged, one landed with a ringing impact. The old man was leagues above Luffy. Luffy was the strongest person she’d ever met and to see someone beat him down so effortlessly was frightening. 

Baby wanted to fight like that. She yearned for it. Her fingers twitched at her side. She’d get killed in between those powerhouses though. 

Eventually, they stopped. The old man landed a final blow on Luffy’s head that knocked him out cold. Baby was wonderstruck. She started to inch closer. 

“Hey. Old man.” She said as she approached. 

“Hmm, what little bird? and call me Gramps.”

“Gramps.” She tested it out on her tongue. It fit. “How’d you get so strong?” She kept inching forward until she was nearly standing on top of his feet. She craned her neck back to look into his fathomless eyes and scruffy face.

“Bwahahahaha!” He laughed as he grabbed the back of her shirt and set her down further away from him with an uncomfortable twist of his body. “Lots of experience. Why do you want to know?”

“Luffy’s been teaching me to fight. I’m not as good as him yet. "

“And you want to get stronger?” She nodded. “Why?”

Why? What did he mean? “So I can keep fighting. Duh.”

He snorted again. “Why do you want to fight?”

She stared at him confused. “Because it’s fun?”

“Any dreams? People, you want to protect? Goals?”

Baby thought about it. “Well. I want to protect Luffy but he doesn’t need it. I want to fight because it’s fun. I aim to catch the great sea king off the coast and eat it….One day I want to have chicks but not for a long time.”

Gramps leveled a stern stare at her. “All fine goals but none a dream. My dream is to protect innocents and rid the world of pirates. Luffy’s is to be the king of the pirates. We are strong because of our dreams. You need something to fight for.”

Baby thought about it. “I don’t know.”

“Think about it. What you want. One day you’ll know and then you’ll know true strength.”

“Okay, thanks, Gramps. I’ll figure it out.” She nodded her head determinedly and he grinned widely at her. Luffy had the same grin, she thought. 

“I’ve never had a granddaughter before. Bwahahahaha!” His bellowing laughter woke up Luffy and the two went off to hunt down dinner. Baby kept thinking. A dream, huh?

After Gramps left, Baby confronted Luffy. “He offered to be my gramps too since we’re nestmates, right?” She wasn’t one to look too much into things but her mother told her never to trust offers from gods. Demigods like Gramps definitely counted.

“Hmm, I guess so. Does that make you my sister?”

“I don’t know. Don’t we have to have the same mother?”

“No, all you have to do is drink saki together.”

“Oh.” Baby contemplated it. “Do you have any saki?”

“Shishishishi! We can steal Dadan’s!”

——

When Luffy turned 17 and they both set off from their nest, Baby felt like a different person. She’d learned how to act like a human and fight, she was never lonely because her brother was always right around the corner, and she’d figured out her dream. 

Baby’s dream was to have a great adventure with loyal friends at her side. 

It wasn’t concrete like Luffy’s. There wasn’t any lofty idealism like Gramps. But it felt right to her. 

As they sailed out, no sea king accosted them. Baby and Luffy had eaten the King of the Coast months ago. He’d been delicious. Her mouth watered at the memory. 

“Hey, Captain?” She called out to Luffy from across their little boat. It was the fulfillment of a promise made two years ago and the first time she’d ever called him by the title. He bolted upright and set a steadying hand on his hand. 

“Shishishishi. Yeah?”

She grinned at him. ‘There’s a giant whirlpool about to pull us in.”

He stared at her blankly before rushing to see. “Oh. That’s bad.”

“Yeah. I don’t know you can escape it.”

“Hmm, me neither.” He glanced at an empty water barrel. “I can stuff myself in there?”

Baby looked at it skeptically. “I don’t think I’m strong enough to carry you for more than ten minutes.”

Her captain nodded. “Barrel it is.” Baby shrugged. Luffy’s plans usually turned out okay. She helped him situation himself into the barrel. The whirlpool was seconds away from consuming them as she sealed him in. 

“I’ll follow you, see you soon!”

“Shishishishi, fun!”

———

Baby followed Luffy when the whirlpool spat him out. If her vision wasn’t so good she would have lost him. A ship appeared on the horizon and before long, the sailors aboard were hauling her brother up.

She settled herself in the rigging and this time no one accosted her. She tucked her beak under a wing and settled in for a nap. She’d wait for Luffy to cause chaos before revealing herself. She decided a year ago that Luffy was the son of a God of Chaos. It kept life interesting. 

Dozing off, Baby almost missed the approaching pirate ship but the screaming below her tipped her off. She watched as the pirates boarded the passenger ship and observed how a typical pirate crew attacked. It was distasteful. She hoped that’s not what Luffy had in mind. 

A large lady boarded last and swept an assessing eye over her men. Baby could tell she was the captain. She fluffed out her feathers. It was about time to get out of there. 

Minutes later, Baby was watching the pirate lady go flying and Luffy was boarding a small boat with a pink-haired boy. She fluttered over to them once they’d gotten settled and set off. 

“Ahh, what a pretty bird!” The pink-haired boy said as Baby settled on the railing of their new boat. She preened. What a nice kid. She was a very pretty bird, after all. 

“There you are!” Luffy said. “I thought you got lost.”

“Eh, you know this bird, Luffy?” 

“Sure do. That’s Baby, my sister.”

“Umm, do you mean your baby sister? But it’s a bird! That doesn’t make any sense and-” Luffy cut the boy off with a knock to the head. “Ow! Why’d you do that?!”

“Felt like it,” Luffy said and Baby let out a chirp. She agreed with her captain, the kid was being annoying. She ran an assessing eye over her brother. He seemed fine. She nodded and transformed back into her human form. 

“AHHH ITS A MONSTER!” Baby scowled at the boy. Rude. She clenched her fist and knocked him over with it. Luffy collapsed in a laughing heap next to her. “OW!”

“I’m not a monster. Luffy already introduced me and everything. Shitty Brat.” She’d learned those words from Gramps.

The pink-haired boy cowered under her gaze. “Sorry, sorry. I’m sorry! You’re his….sister?”

Baby nodded. “That’s right.”

He looked between them. “You don’t look much alike.”

She scowled again. “What’s that got to do with anything!”

He yelped. “Nothing! Sorry!” A moment. “So you ate a devil fruit too?”

“No.”

“Ah, okay.”

“Baby is just a bird-girl,” Luffy added. “No big deal.”

She nodded her agreement. It was totally normal. “Exactly.”

“Ummm okay.”

“Hey Cody, do you know how to navigate?” Luffy asked.

“Umm Its Colby and of course! Don’t you?”

“NOPE! Help us get to the next island, Please!”

———

Once they spotted land, Baby flew ahead to scout things out. She saw a large marine base and a good-sized town. She touched down next to Luffy and Colby as they landed on the docks. She perched on her brother’s shoulder and chirped out her findings. 

He nodded. Luffy had gotten a lot better at bird over the years. “Thanks, Baby.”

“You understand her, Luffy?” Colby asked.

Luffy shot him a weird look. “Duh.” He shoved a finger up his nose. “It’s my sister.”

“Right. So, are you a bird too?”

“Nope.” Luffy flicked his bugger away. Baby watched it land in an old woman’s hair. 

They made their way to the center courtyard and Baby didn’t pay much attention to what was going on. When they found the man tied to the post though, she felt her curiosity grew. She perched on the stakes holding him up and listened in on her brother’s conversation when he catapulted himself over the wall. 

This was the famous Pirate Hunter Zoro? Colby had made him sound much more dangerous. 

She warbled in discontent when the bratty blonde boy appeared and ordered the soldier to toss a little human girl over the wall. Gross. She hoped all the marines at this base weren’t like that. 

After they’d all left, Baby stayed perched where she was. The swordsman tilted his head to look at her. “Pretty bluebird.”

Thank you. She chirped out. Of course, since she was in her bird form and Zoro probably didn’t speak bird, he didn’t understand her. 

“You think you could bring me some food?” He asked her. She tilted her head. Did he know she was more than just a random bird? She looked into his grey eyes as he slumped. “Ah damn. I’m going crazy. Talking to birds.” He shook himself. 

Baby took off from her perch. She’d bring him some food. Something easy to eat. She winged over the town before the old woman from before caught her eye. She was holding a teriyaki stick in one hand as she grocery shopped. Baby swooped down and ripped it from her hands. The woman’s curses followed her all the way back to the courtyard. 

She landed on Zoro’s shoulder and offered him the meat stick. It smelled really good. She kind of wanted it for herself.

The swordsman looked at her incredulously. “Do you understand me?’

Baby just stared at him. Obviously. She hopped closer to him and he reached out to take the skewer from her with his teeth. Baby felt a maternal instinct surge up in her. Mother had fed her this way when she was very young. As Zoro chewed, she hopped closer and started to pluck at his short hair. Most was covered by a bandana but what she could reach was matted with sweat.

“Are you… grooming me?” Zoro asked incredulously when he’d spit out the stick onto the dirt. Baby chirped. Obviously, that’s what she was doing. This guy was kind of slow. He’d fit right in with Luffy. “Oh, Alright then. Thanks?”

At least he had manners. She settled herself down and tucked her head under a wing. She’d keep an eye on the guy until Luffy came back. 

——

When all was said and done, Baby perched on the deck next to Luffy and watched a bunch of marines salute them as they sailed off into the unknown. 

“Hey Captain, you know this bird?” Zoro asked after a puzzled glance towards her. 

“Oh yeah, Zoro this is Baby, my sister.” She chirped out a welcome to the new crew member. 

“You’re sisters a bird?” He asked incredulously. Zoro’s confusion was palpable. 

“Sometimes.” Luffy nodded without elaborating. Baby twittered in amusement at the look on the swordsman’s face. She’d only watched the fight earlier, seeing no reason to interfere when the two had it handled. Plus, she wasn’t one to get in the way of new friends bonding time. Luffy could be very touchy about it and she’d learned to avoid stepping on his toes. 

She hopped over to Zoro and perched on a broad shoulder. He’s taken his bandana off and tied it around his upper arms so she now had access to the rest of his head. The lush green was oddly alluring. She fluffed it a bit and then hopped onto his head and settled down. 

Hmm. Cozy. It was like a little portable nest made of soft, spring grass. She let out a happy warble. 

“Shishishishis, Baby likes you!” Luffy told the frozen swordsman. “She’s the first mate.”

Baby let out an objecting caw. No, she didn’t want to be the first mate. Make Zoro do it!

“Ahh, well Baby said she wants you to be the first mate. That settles it. Zoro, you’re the first mate!”

“What a second! I never agreed to that! And you understand her? What the hell!”

“Shishishi, too late. I’ve decided!”

“Then what’s the bird’s job?” Zoro asked irritated with a thumb jabbing at her. She puffed up her chest and let out a trilling song. It sang of adventure and freedom and endless oceans to those who spoke bird. It was one of Luffy’s favorites. 

Baby was the singer of the crew. Obviously. The most important position. 

Zoro slowly untensed from below her and settled down, careful to keep his head level so she wouldn’t fall. Luffy watched them with a huge grin. “She’s the singer! No crew’s complete without one. Next, we need a musician and a cook!”

Baby chirped. A person with a map!

Luffy nodded. “And a navigator!”

“We’ll need way more than that to conquer the grand line,” Zoro said lightly.

“Nah, I’m thinking ten should do it.”

Zoro raised a skeptical brow. “Whatever you say, Captain.”

——

When the sun was low in the sky the first day with Zoro, Baby set off to hunt. They had food stored on the boat but Baby liked fresh fish best. She soared and swooped in the sky, careful to never lose sight of her crew. She dropped off several fish for the boys before settling down next to them with her own catch. 

“Thanks, Baby!” Luffy chirped at her. She flicked a dismissive wing his way. No problem!

Zoro picked up a fish by the tail and held it in front of him. “You eat it raw?”

That’s the best way! Baby clucked condescendingly. He shot her a suspicious look. 

“It’s not my favorite but Baby loves raw fish,” Luffy said as he sucked all the meat off a fishbone. He always skinned the scales off first with a knife but Baby’s beak was razor-sharp. She didn’t need a knife to get the inside. She crowed triumphantly when she got to the heart. Yum! The best part! 

A thud next to her made her glance over at two more fish hearts. She gobbled them up in a flash and twittered her thanks at Luffy. He was the best brother ever.

“Shishishi. You’re welcome!” Luffy glanced at Zoro who was still holding his fish, looking a little green. “You gonna eat that?” With a final glance a the slimy fish, Zoro shook his head and tossed it to Luffy. 

“Have at it. I think I’d get sick if I ate that.”

Baby cocked her head. Sick? From fish? That was ridiculous. She glanced at her brother. Luffy had never gotten sick from eating anything except certain mushrooms. But, she mused, Luffy was a little godling left on the island to cause chaos. Zoro was a normal human from what she could tell. The bandits in the forest had always cooked their fish too. 

Sensitive stomach? She chirped curiously.

“Guess so,” Luffy agreed. 

“Hey don’t talk about me like I’m not here!” Zoro protested. 

Zoro needed to learn to speak bird then. She clucked at him.

Luffy laughed. “Shishishi, you should teach him, Baby!”

Hmm. That was true. Luffy wasn’t good at that kind of thing. Baby nodded. No time like the present!

She transformed into her human shape between one blink and the next. Zoro jumped so far back as he tried to grab his swords that he toppled over the side of the boat and landed in the ocean with a splash. 

“SHISHISHI ZORO’S DUMB! Can’t even stay on the boat” Luffy cackled next to her. She smiled. Everyone was always so startled when she transformed. It was kind of funny. 

Zoro climbed back on the deck with a wet splat. He stared at her with a wild look in his eyes. “You’re human?”

“Yuck, no. Why would you even ask that?” Baby stuck out her tongue in disgust. “I’m a siren.”

The swordsman made a strange noise and glanced at the still chucking Luffy. “And he’s one too?”

Baby shook her head. “I don’t really know what he is.”

“Hey! I’m human. Duh.”

She hummed noncommittally. “Sure.”

“And you’re….siblings?”

“Yep.” Baby was bored with this conversation. “Now! It’s time for you to learn how to speak bird!”

Zoro looked incredibly lost. “Bird?”

“Well you want to understand us when we talk about you, right?”

“Ah! I knew you were talking about me!” He accused with a pointed finger. 

“Duh, what else would we be doing?” Man, this guy sure was slow. “Now lesson number one, Tonalization is everything!”

——-

Baby was taking a nap on her new nest when Luffy was birdnapped. Zoro’s frantic shouting woke her up as she was thrown gracelessly from his head. She squawked in protest. She’d been having a wonderful dream, damnit!

“Baby! Help me row!” Zoro ordered. She grumbled as she rose from the deck human-shaped and grabbed the rows. He filled her in as they sped along. Baby felt indignation fill her. Another bird was trying to steal her brother?

“I’ll kill them!” She hissed out. “Luffy is mine!”

“He’s probably bird food by now!”

“Luffy not good bird food! You’d be tastier than him!”

“What?!”

“HEY HELP US PLEASE!” Shouted pleas caught their attention and minutes later three nasty men were trying to threaten her and Zoro. Baby grinned savagely as her blood began to sing. 

“I’ll handle this.” She told Zoro as she noticed him reaching for his sword. She jumped on the men with a wild shriek and tore into flesh and muscles alike. When they were a bloody mess on the deck, Baby spat a chunk of meat out of her mouth. 

Zoro was staring at her oddly as he kept rowing. “That’s gross.” 

“Hmm,” Baby swirled her tongue around in her mouth. A metallic tang coated her lips. “It’s not bad actually.”

The men on the ground twitched. She kicked them with her barefoot. 

“You uh….you uh, don’t actually eat people, right?”

Baby shrugged. “Luffy said I’m not allowed. That it’s wrong or something. I wasn’t really listening. " The men groaned. “And these guys are still alive. It’d be weird.”

“Huh.” Zoro didn’t say anything for a moment. “You should listen to your brother.”

“Yeah, Luffy is pretty smart.” Baby agreed.

“Ah. That’s not what I meant.” Zoro had started to sweat. He probably needed a break. Baby didn’t really want to row through. She glanced down at the men on the deck and cocked her head. That would work. 

Several minutes later, Zoro and Baby watched the three bloody men desperately rowing towards the land that had just appeared on the horizon. Zoro glanced at her. “I mean, Luffy was right when he said eating people is wrong.”

“Hmm?” Baby gave him her full attention. He seemed serious. 

“It’s dishonorable to desecrate an opponent’s body like that when they have already been defeated.”

“Huh? But what if I’m hungry?” Humans were so weird about some things. Geez.

“Not even then.” Zoro was looking deeply into her eyes to impress upon her how important this was to him. “It’s better to starve.”

Well. Baby didn’t agree with that. She shot a glance at the three bleeding, rowing men. “Hear me out. You’re stuck at sea. No food. Its either eat a human or die and never achieve your dream. What do you choose?” She had overheard the conversation between Zoro and Luffy about dreams. His was to become to world’s greatest swordsman. He seemed very passionate about it. 

Zoro scowled at her. “No eating friends!”

Baby nodded. “I see. Strangers are okay, then”

“WE’RE FRIENDS!” The rowers piped up with a ragged, desperate cry. “We’re friends! Please don’t eat us!”

“SHUT UP AND ROW!” Zoro yelled with a threatening scowl before turning back to her. “Don’t eat people if there are any other options!” He ordered. 

Baby shrugged. “Aye Aye, Mister First Mate!” Whatever. She preferred fish anyway. 

——-

It didn’t them long to find Luffy once they landed. He’d somehow gotten himself locked into a cage. She flew from her perch on Zoro’s shoulder and fluttered into his cage the minute he came in sight. 

Are you okay? She chirped as she nuzzled his hair. Vaguely, she was aware of Zoro fighting people behind her. 

“Shishishi, yeah. That girl with the orange hair is our new navigator.” 

Baby looked around for the girl. She was standing next to a canon with a lit fuse. It was pointed straight at them. She chirped in concern. Luffy looked up at the dangerously short fuse. 

“HEY STOP POINTING THAT THING AT ME!”

A last-minute switch and, with a giant boom, a cannonball detonated in the midst of the opposing pirate crew. Baby fluttered out of the cage when Zoro came sprinting over, hauled it over his shoulder, and took off running. 

Are you stuck, nestmate? Baby chirped at Luffy. The bird language didn’t have names, only titles. You can squeeze through?

Luffy slammed a fist down on his palm. “Oh right! Put me down Zoro!”

“We can’t stop here!” The orange-haired girl screeched. “We’ll be killed!”

Zoro ignored her and set Luffy’s cage on the ground. Luffy slipped a hand out towards his fist mate. “Pull me out?”

“Are you crazy?!” The girl yelled again. Baby watched her as Zoro squished Luffy through the bars of his cage. She really treasured the look on people’s faces when they witnessed Luffy’s rubber body for the first time and the girl didn’t disappoint. “What the hell are you!?”

Luffy, now free and dusting himself off, giggled. Baby chirped her own amusement into the air. Zoro just fell back to the ground in exhaustion. Oh right. She hopped over to him and settled on his chest. He’d been stabbed by that red nose guy. Are you alive? She chirped

“I’m okay. Just need to sleep it off.” He said. “You got any booze?”

No, Baby chirped. Zoro was pretty good at understanding her. She had a feeling it was more instinct than any natural inclination towards language. He relaxed under her and started to drift off. Baby settled in for a watch. 

Luffy and the orange girl were talking over a little dog. She observed but left him to it. Bonding time with new crewmates was important, after all. When an old human joined them, she started grooming her tail feathers. She wondered where the bird that had birdnapped her brother went. She needed to hunt it down before they left the island.

Another giant boom and explosion startled her enough she let out an undignified squawk and fell over. A row of buildings a street next to them went up in flaming rubble. Baby shook herself. That was scary. She glanced at her brother, he had a very serious look on his face.

She fluttered over to him as a large lion approached. On top of it was a pirates. Baby let out a disgusted chirp at the indignity. ‘You let that human tame you, great beast?’ 

The lion shot a glare at her. ‘Silence bird. Master is best. Master is stronger.’

‘Hmph. Weak.’ She clucked dismissively and turned her head. The lion roared and pounced in her direction. Lucky for Baby, she was perched on her brother’s hat. When Luffy wound up for a punch with his other arm, Baby clucked out more insults. ‘My nestmate is the strongest, weak kitty. We’ll eat you for a snack.’

“Baby. Be Nice.” Luffy scolded her as he reached up a hand to steady her. The lion was knocked out at his feet with the pirate pinned under him. She chirped smugly. Ha! Take that, stupid lion. Snack?

Luffy hummed contemplatively but ultimately tore his gaze from the lion. “We don’t have time for a snack.” Her brother was watching the old man and the dog. The old man was screaming his resolve into the sky and the dog was howling in misery in front of a destroyed building. 

His howls were kind of heartbreaking. Baby started to fly over but changed her course back to a sleeping Zoro at the last minute. She didn’t know anything about comforting dogs.

Luffy and Nami left back the way they come soon enough. Her captain shot her a look to wake up Zoro and follow. She chirped an affirmative and shifted forms until she could shake him awake with her hands. 

“Ugh.” He grumbled before his eyes shot open. “Get off of me, Baby!” He shoved her off her perch on his chest. Baby felt a pout building, he never cared when she was in her other form. 

“It’s time to fight, you good?” 

Zoro grumbled a little before standing slowly. She nuzzled her head at his shoulder in concern and he pushed her away. “I’m fine, stop touching me.” She chirped in irritation before tuning bird-shaped and settling on his head. She could steer better by tugging on his green stands up here anyway. 

When Zoro and Baby arrived at the fight they saw the old man knock out and the red-nosed pirate aiming another cannon at her brother. She cawed out her intentions to her brother and he stepped back to let her handle it.

Before red nose got the chance to light his canon, Baby transformed and descended into the crowd with an adrenaline-filled battle cry. Finally! A good fight. Her talons ripped through flesh and she spun around to aim a punch at a pirate with a big sword. He was too slow to block her. She was fiercely happy. The blood flying through the air splattered on the ground and she kicked a man in the gut. Vaguely, she heard screams of terror flood her ears, she thinks Nami was screaming in shock too but Baby ignored it. 

Luffy had taught her to fight well. Brawling was a way of life. If she so happened to have razor-sharp weapons attached to her hands and bare feet well…. they had swords. It was only fair. 

A dirty man tried to step past her guard. She let him. A moment later her beak was filled with the taste of blood and screams filled the air. She spat the meat out and crooned her victory to the skies with a savage grin. 

She soon found herself with no one left to challenge. Baby let her gaze rest on her downed opponents and reveled in the rush of a good fight. These guys had been stronger than the guys in the trash heap. 

Baby was a vicious predator though and Luffy had taught her well. They would all fall before her. 

The clashing of metal filled the air and Baby moved her gaze to her crewmate. She took in the situation. Luffy and the red-nosed captain seemed to have decided to let their crews fight it out before engaging themselves. Smart. 

She stepped away from the bloodbath and settled on Luffy’s shoulder with a smug caw to watch Zoro’s fight. They’d win this. Luffy didn’t lose. 

She wondered where the orange-haired girl had gone. 

“Nami went to find a map of the Grand Line, Go help her?” Luffy ordered & Baby took off. She’d love to get to know the girl more.

——

Nami tied her boat to theirs when they left the island. Baby fluttered over to her once they’d set sail and inspected the other. She’d never been this close to a human girl the same age as her and Luffy. Well, relatively the same age. Baby didn’t know how old she was. It didn’t matter anyway, Sirens weren’t like humans. 

The navigator shot her a suspicious look. Baby turned human-shaped but still just observed the other with her head tilted. “What do you want, Baby?”

Baby thought the suspicion was unwarranted. She’d helped the navigator carry all the treasure and saved her from those three pirates waiting to ambush her. 

Baby slunk closer. “What’s your favorite color?”

“Orange.” Short and to the point. Baby nodded. It made sense. Baby’s favorite color was the color of her feathers too. She shuffled closer. 

“Favorite food?”

“Tangerines.”

A curious cluck escaped her throat. “I’ve never had one. Are they good?”

Nami lit up a little. “The best. I love them. Kind of like oranges, but sweeter.”

Baby nodded, decisive. She loved sweet things. She’d be getting her hands on a tangerine. 

“I like fish.” She offered. And shuffled even closer. 

Nami scoffed. “Yeah? That and human flesh?” She aimed a judging look her way and Baby puffed up in indignation. 

“Hey! I spit that guy out! I’m not allowed to eat humans.”

“Humans? What are you even?”

Baby preened. “I’m a siren.”

“A Siren? I thought those were just old stories. Bird women who lured sailors to their deaths with songs and stuff.”

“Woah, you really know your stuff.” Baby liked Nami already. She scooted a bit closer. Close enough to smell the other girl. She sniffed. Nami smelled really good. “You smell good.”

Nami tried to lean away but Baby followed her. “You all just stink.”

“Hmm? We do?” Baby asked. She smelled like a bird. 

“Yeah. Do you even use shampoo?” She asked judgementally.

“What’s that? Do you eat it?” 

“Oh my god. Where you raised in a barn?”

“No. A nest.” Baby looked at the other. “Why? Were you raised in a barn?”

“No! Geez. " Nami brought up a hand and massaged her temples. “Shampoo is for your hair. You wash your hair with it, then with conditioner to make it soft.” Nami reached over and grabbed a handful of Baby’s hair. “See how frayed your ends are? You need to trim it.”

Baby reached out a curious hand towards Nami’s hair and grabbed the orange strands. “Wow. So soft. Can you show me how?”

They were very close together now. Baby peered into Nami’s brown eyes and watched them widen. She jumped back and their hair slipped out of each other’s hands. “Back up! Too close. You gotta respect my personal space, Baby!”

“Personal space? What’s that?” She inched closed again. Nami was so interesting. Baby had never heard of any of these things.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Nami sounded tired. Baby glanced up at the sky. The sun was at its zenith. Perfect time for a nap. Nami sighed heavily and spoke. “Maybe later, Baby.”

“Sure!” She changed to her smallest form and fluttered back to the other boat. She settled herself on her warm, green nest and tucked her beak under her wing. Baby dreamed of soft hair and tangerines raised in barns. 

——-

Baby and the boys were surprised when Nami got them to the next island before the end of the next day. Apparently, she really knew how to navigate. Luffy was ecstatic and Zoro just seemed surprised, like he hadn’t known it was even possible. 

The air currents were the only thing Baby knew about. That and the slight tugging in her gut that always pointed in the direction of the spec of land she’d been hatched on. Baby ignored it most of the time. Nami told her the air currents had names and Baby made a point to learn more about it from the navigator. She’d like to know the name of the winds beneath her wings.

Baby stayed perched on Luffy’s shoulder as they made their way into the new village. They’d been greeted by a curly-haired boy with a perfect perch of a nose. She watched it as he flailed around talking about something. Her wings twitched but she stayed with Luffy. 

It would be rude or something to perch on the boy’s nose. Makino had taught her about manners a few months ago and Baby had tried to implement a few. Please and thanks you being her favorite. But Nami’s lesson about personal space was fresh in her mind too and Baby figured the boy might have ‘personal boundaries as Nami had called it. 

When they reached the restaurant and the boy took off, Baby transformed and settled on the bench next to her brother.

“You’re so lazy, Baby. I’m not your personal shoe four!”

Nami sighed. “Chauffeur. Its Chauffeur.”

“Ugh but walking is so tedious, Luffy. And if I flew ahead you’d get left behind!” She turned to better face him. 

“You need to walk! Or you’ll get lazy and weak. Remember your noodle legs?” Luffy was nodding as he talked. Ugh, she hated when he got bossy.

Baby scowled. “I’ll show you noodle legs!” She leaned back so she could kick him and he grabbed her leg and shook it. Baby squawked in protest and grabbed the edge of the table so she would fall. “Luffy! Stop, ugh!” She tried to swipe at him with her other hand but he dodged effortlessly. 

“Oh my god, you two! Stop. Behave! We’re in public.” Nami hissed at them from across the table. “You’re so embarrassing!”

Luffy let go of her leg and Baby sat up properly in her seat. “He started it.” She grumbled.

“Did not! You tried to kick me.”

“Did too! You called me noodle legs!”

Pain suddenly erupted on her head and Baby let out a pained squawk, Luffy was groaning next to her with an identical bump on his head. “Shut up!” 

“Yes, Nami.” They chorused together. Baby touched her bump and winced. She aimed an impressed look at the navigator. She was stronger than she looked. 

“S0,” Zoro pipped up. “Luffy’s the older brother?”

Luffy grinned. “That’s right! Baby is my baby sister.”

Baby nodded. “We decided that as kids.”

“It’s not something you just decide,” Nami said. “It’s whoever was born first.”

Baby shrugged. “I don’t know when I was born so it doesn’t matter.”

“Plus, I’m taller so it makes sense,” Luffy added. 

“That doesn’t make sense at all,” Nami said but Zoro nodded in agreement with Luffy so Baby thought it might just be a weird human girl thing. Nami had a lot of weird ideas that seemed specific to human girls. 

They ended up having a lot of fun on the little island. Baby got to hunt some cats, Zoro got hurt again, Luffy beat up some people, and they finally got a real ship!

The long-nosed boy joined them too. Baby liked him, he had the best stories. He hated it when she perched on his nose though. Shame. 

They set off with a joyous mood and Baby sang a song of celebration to add to the happy atmosphere. Before too long had passed, Usopp was painting their flag and Baby went up to envelope her brother in a hug. His grin was infectious and filled her heart with joy.

He hugged her back with a loud laugh and then they were dancing around the deck to a new song that fell from her lips. Baby loved it. She loved all her new friends and family. 

——-

The bounty hunters they picked up next were older than them. Nami seemed to think they were just as dumb thought. Zoro vouched for them so Baby supposed they were okay. She watched them with a predator’s gaze the whole time they were aboard. 

These men weren’t part of her flock and Luffy had no intention of asking them to join either. They were outsiders. Baby didn’t like outsiders in their nest.

Even though the Going Merry wasn’t a nest or in a tree, it still belonged to Baby. And Luffy too she supposed since it technically was his ship. But whatever. They’d always shared their nest. 

Johnny and Yosaku needed to earn Baby’s trust or she’d peck out their eyeballs on the first offense.

——-

“You can’t wear that in there.” Nami pointed at Baby.

“Huh? Why not?” She looked down at her clothes. They were her normal ones.

“They’re raggedy and make you look like a blueberry.”

Baby cocked her head. “I like blueberries?” Luffy had given them to her because they matched her feathers. She thinks he found them in the trash heap. 

“No. There is such a thing as fashion and style. You can’t be too matchy-matchy. It doesn’t look good. Follow me, I have something you can borrow for only 20 percent interest.”

Curious, Baby followed the other girl. In short order, Nami had her stripped and stuffed into a tight yellow dress. “There. This doesn’t fit me anymore since my boobs got bigger. It looks good on you.”

Baby turned and looked at herself in the mirror. It was so bright. She loved it. “Thank you, Nami!” She nuzzled her head against the navigators in thanks. 

Nami laughed and pushed her away. “Don’t mention it. Now let me put your hair up. Just looking at it is making me sweat.”

Nami sat down on the edge of the bed at gestured for Baby to sit on the floor between her legs. Soon Nami was combing her fingers through her coarse locks. “No tangles? I’m surprised.”

“I brush it every morning when I sing with the dawn.”

“Hmm, you have a gorgeous voice.” Nami puller her hair high up on top of her head and tied it up. “There, just a ponytail but it looks sophisticated on you. Not enough to fool anyone into thinking you’re a lady though.” She grumbled the last part. 

Baby crawled over to the mirror and felt the air run over her bare shoulders and exposed ears. She tossed her hair back and forth and the ponytail swung from side to side. Fun. She looked quite different in the mirror. “I like it.”

“Good. Now let’s go. I’m hungry.”

——-

Baby loved the Baratie. It was her favorite place in the entire world. As she sucked fish sauce off the fingers of her left hand her right was already reaching for a yummy trout covered in a salty glaze. 

“Baby! Luffy! Use a fork for the love of the sea. Oh my god!”Nami was demanding something. Baby gazed curiously at her as she stuffed a roll in her mouth. Even the bread was delicious.

“Why? I don’t need a fork.” Luffy said. It came out muffled and his cheeks bulged out monstrously as spoke. Baby always liked the dead fish look in her brother’s eyes. It reminded her of the unworldly power that rested in his stretchy bones.

Zoro let out a loud burp next to her. Usopp chimed in, “Did no one ever teach you guys table manners?”

“Table manners?” Baby asked. She looked back a Nami. “What’s that?”

Nami slapped a hand to her face. “Savages. I’m surrounded by idiots and savages.”

“Could I interest the lovely mademoiselle in a glass of our finest?” A blonde man appeared suddenly at Nami sides and Baby watched as the women seemed to transform. She shifted her weight so she was leaning sensually to the side, pushed up her chest, and lowered her voice to speak to the stranger.

It tickled something in the back of Baby’s mind. Mother had mentioned this. Seduction. Baby shifted until her posture was a mirror of the other girl. Mother said sirens used it to get whatever they wanted from others. Baby wanted more trout. 

She leaned forward and gazed heavily at the stranger. He sensed her weighty stare and turned to her. He started wiggling like a frantic little worm. Hmm, Baby guessed it was working. “How may I help you, lovely beautiful blue flower?” He gushed. 

“Fish. I want more. Please.” She licked her lips and the salty sauce coated her tongue. The stranger whipped out a white napkin and used it to gently pat her face clean

“Anything for you, my darling.” He twirled off in a blur. Baby blinked at him. Had he just groomed her?

“Not bad, Baby.”

“That was easy. I thought it’d be harder?” 

“That guy is just eager to please. I can spot a praise kink like that from a mile away.”

“Praise kink?”She blinked at Nami. “What’s that?”

Nami let out an evil little chuckle. “Tell him he did a good job or compliment him and see what happens.”

“Ugh, stop corrupting Baby, you witch,” Zoro grunted out next to her. Baby turned wide eyes on the swordman. 

“You do a good job as the first mate.” She tried out. The words fell easily from her tongue. It was the truth after all. Zoro’s face turned red all the way to his ears and Nami cackled across the table. Even Usopp was chuckling. 

“SHUT UP!” Zoro hissed at her and forced the blood from his face. Baby grinned. 

“I see, so Zoro has a praise kink too?”

“I DON’T.” He refused. 

Nami slowed her cackles long enough to grin mischievously at her. “Yeah, just like that, Baby.”

She grinned and preened. Hmm, maybe she had a praise kink too?

When the blonde stranger returned with his hands full of plates he served them then knelt and grabbed her hand. “And what can I call you, my sweet blue angel?”

Baby’s other hand was already inching towards her plate. “You can call me Baby.”

“AHHH” She spared him a glance as she stuffed her face. He was bleeding? Whatever. Humans were weird.

——-

The blonde stranger was named Sanji. He was one of Baby’s new favorite humans. He always gave her whatever she wanted and sometimes even things she didn’t know she wanted. Like fruit salad. Wow, Baby loved fruit salad.

Baby liked him. It was a good thing Luffy decided he was their new chef. She would have had a hard time leaving the blonde behind. 

They were staying at the Baratie for a few days while Luffy worked off some damages from accidentally dropping a cannonball on the head chef. 

Baby was perched on the railing and combing her hair as she sang a song to greet the new dawn. It was the same tune most mornings, an old song for the rebirth of the sun and the life it gives. An upbeat and happy whistle escaped her throat as she worked. 

Luffy, groggy and silent as he always was in the morning, appeared on the deck. He settled next to her as they watched the sunrise together. Soon enough everyone was up and starting the day. Baby tied her hair up in a ponytail like Nami had taught and transformed.

She wanted to hunt down some fish and ask Sanji to fix it up for her breakfast. She’d never thought she’d see the day where she preferred anything over the raw pleasure of ripping into flesh with her beak but here she was.

Flying over the open water in the early morning light was one of Baby’s greatest pleasures. The day was shaping up to be absolutely lovely. 

She let an air current lift her high up above the clouds and then dove straight down into the sea. Once she was under, she let her body morph until she was half human-shaped. This was the best form for hunting. It let her catch bigger prey. 

The sharp talons on her hand and feet let her kill quickly and her knees and elbows propelled her through the water gracefully. She’d also found her vision was better with human eyes underwater. 

She cut through the water towards her goal. She’d seen the small sea king from the sky. Baby loved sea king. Luffy did too. 

She snuck up on it and then lunged for its gills. It thrashed in her hold and nearly dislodged her. Baby used her wings to propel them out of the water and high into the air. Once they were in her domain, she spiraled and ripped until the sea king was limp in her grasp. 

Baby licked her lips as she turned back towards the Baratie. She wondered what Sanji would do with it.

She whistled in triumph when she landed on the deck of the Going Merry with her catch. Usopp started screaming. It brought everyone else running, Zoro, his bounty hunter friends, Nami, Luffy, and Sanji.

Baby pranced over to the blonde. “Sanji! Fix it up for me, please! You’re the best at it!”He wiggled like a worm again though his face was slightly pale. She leaned her wet body up against his. “With the sauce I like?”

“Anything for you, Baby!” The color rushed back into his face as he said it. Luffy cheered in the background. 

“Alright! SEA KING! Great Job Baby!”

She preened. What a great day. 

——-

When the day started to turn sour after lunch, Baby thought it only fair. Life was all about balance after all. 

Still, as she sailed off without her brother and cook, hand soaked in Zoro’s blood, she found that it was all a bit much. 

Zoro groaned under the pressure she was putting on his wound. The Hawk had done much damage to her friend. Usopp’s hands were shaking as he tried to thread a needle for stitches. Baby wished Zoro was a little less human just so he wouldn’t be in so much danger from death. 

Sirens were sturdier in general and Luffy was nigh indestructible. But Zoro, Usopp, and Nami were all so squishy. Blood spurted up from between her fingers and landed on her face. She ran her tongue over her lips and hummed. Zoro didn’t taste too bad. 

“Baby, can you please not do that right now.” Usopp pleaded as he jostled her out of the way and started to stitch Zoro closed. With his back now to her, he wouldn’t be able to see her lick her hands clean but…. Zoro wouldn’t like that. With a sigh, she stuck her hands into the ocean to wash the blood away. What a waste. 

“I think I know where Big Sis Nami is going.” One of the bounty hunters said. Baby didn’t remember which one he was. “It’s a place called Cocoyashi. It’s under the control of Arlong the pirate. He’s a vicious Fishman and dangerous.” 

Baby cocked her head. “A Fishman? That sounds weird.”

He coughed awkwardly. “Aren’t you, you know, kind of the same?”

“Half fish? No way. I’m a siren. I’m not half anything…. but I guess I can be pretty vicious.”

Baby watched him force his eye away from her blood-soaked form to the sky. “Yeah.” He coughed again. “Anyway. One of us should go tell the others where we’re headed.”

“Okay, Sanji can probably steer us in the right direction. I’ll see you guys soon. Usopp, you’re in charge while Zoro’s out. Don’t die.” With a twitch, she took the skies and made her way back to the Baratie. 

By the time she arrived, the battle was over. She hopped down to where Sanji was smoking propped up by some wooden rubble. He barely spared her a glance. Baby frowned. That was weird. He was always happy to see her. She clucked at him in concern. 

“I don’t have any food on me, little birdy. Sorry.” Sanji said gruffly. 

Oh. Baby realized he didn’t recognize her. In seconds she was human-shaped and Sanji was staring with wide eyes. His cigarette fell from his open mouth. Baby tilted her head, “are you okay, Sanji? Where Luffy?”

“You’re a…bird? Did you eat a devil fruit too?”

“No.”

“Oh.” 

Sanji remained wide-eyed. “Luffy’s sleeping upstairs.” Baby nodded. Her brother always liked to sleep after a fight. Sleep and eat.

“You don’t seem okay.” Baby observed. The blonde was very kind to her, maybe she could try being kind to him? She wasn’t good at that sort of thing.

Sanji relit his cigarette. “No worries, my little beautiful bluebird. I’m fine.”

She ran a critical eye over him. He was beaten and bloodied and exhausted. He didn’t look fine at all. But she took him at his word and settled down next to him. She opened her mouth and a warbling song of healing came out. Mother had taught it to her when she was very small. It seemed appropriate. 

Sanji relaxed slowly and incrementally. When her song ended he was snoring lightly. Baby let out a happy chirp and transformed. She fluttered over to his lap and settled in for a nap. They would have to wait for Luffy to wake up before leaving anyway. 

——-

Baby decided that she really liked Sanji after he introduced her to the wonderful delicacy known as sushi. She savored every bite as she scooped each piece up with her bare hands. Never had she ever eaten this slowly. 

“You like it?” Sanji asked bashfully. She looked up at him with her mouth full and mind blown. She picked up the last piece and truly let her tongue soak up the flavor. “I made it just for you, my lovely blue rose!”

Baby swallowed. “Wow. I didn’t know food could taste this good.”

Sanji blushed. The red of his face contrasted with the blonde of his hair and reminded Baby of a yellow warbler. She’d recently come to the realization that yellow was her second favorite color thanks to Nami, and Sanji’s coloring confirmed it for her. 

“Anything for you, my beautiful, cerulean songbird!”

A thought struck her. “What did you do with the fish hearts?”

“Eh,” he shot her a curious look.

“They’re my favorite.” Baby looked around the kitchen of the small boat they were on. Sanji reached for a bowl filled with scales and guts, he dug around and plated the hearts for her with a drizzle of soy sauce and lemon. He set the plate delicately in front of her and Baby let out a content coo.

The chef was her favorite person ever. He watched her eat the bloody hearts. “Since you’re not human, is there anything I need to know about your diet?”

Baby smacked her lips then ran a finger through the sauce left on her plate. She raised it to her mouth to lick off the excess. Sanji watched her every move with heated eyes. He was still blushing and he’d started his little worm dance again. “I love fish. I hate avocado and I can’t have chocolate. It makes me sick.” She thought about it. “I love juice. Cranberry juice is the best.”

Sanji wrote it all down. “Do you know about Luffy?” 

“He eats everything. He loves meat. Some mushrooms make him act funny though. Usopp won’t eat mushrooms at all.”

“I’d gathered that much,” Sanji said.

“Oh! And Nami loves tangerines.” Baby drooped at the thought of the navigator. “I’m worried about her. She wouldn’t steal the Merry without a good reason.” Luffy was sleeping on the deck of their little boat right now as they sailed towards the direction Nami had gone. She could tell he was bothered too.

Saji reached out to take her plate and wash it. “I’m sure Nami-swan had a good reason!” 

“Hmm, maybe.” Baby ran a hand through her hair and it got snagged on a knot. Her comb was on the Merry. “Can I borrow a fork, Sanji?”

“Anything for you!”

Baby left him to clean up the kitchen and perched on the railing next to her dozing brother. With a shrug and nimble fingers, she got her hair loose and started the run the fork through her long blue locks. A song bubbled up in her throat. It wasn’t one she’d sung before but Baby was a siren. Songs were imprinted on her very soul. 

Soft warbles escaped her lips as she gazed into the distance. A tale of love and longing danced in the air. She knew instinctively that she could add a touch of power to the tune and have men flinging themselves into the depth of the ocean for a chance to reach her. 

Baby wasn’t interested in luring men to their deaths though. She wanted to fight them with her talons. She was passionate and fiery. It might mean that her life would one day be snuffed out too soon, but Baby was okay with that. She wanted adventure and loyal friends, not a long life.

———

The ordeal with Arlong and the Fishman was hard for all of them. Baby fought like the vicious monster sailor’s told horror stories about and it still almost wasn’t enough. Zoro and Sanji both took on stronger opponents than her and were hurt again. Luffy’s fight was the hardest of them all. It was the first time Baby ever thought her brother might be outclassed by an enemy.

Baby hated watching her crewmates keep getting hurt. She didn’t know how to fix their delicate, human bodies and it was worrying. Zoro and Luffy slept forever after they’d destroyed Arlong Park. Sanji moved stiffly and his face was bruised, the purple of the bruise standing out harshly on his pale skin, but he seemed happy enough. Nami had cried tears of joy and hadn’t stopped smiling since. It made it all worth it. 

The three-day-long party on the heels of the fight was fantastic though. Baby fluttered around the entire village and they all welcomed her with open arms. She loved it. 

When Zoro and Luffy woke up, they devoured their body weight in booze and meat respectively. Sanji helped with the cooking when the villager would let him but they mostly shooed him off to relax. She found him under a tree smoking and plopped down next to him with four bottles of saki. He perked up and smiled at her. 

“Get drunk with me!” She ordered him. 

“Huh?” He asked her surprised.

“I’ve never been drunk before but Zoro and Nami make it look so fun. Please?”

He folded easily under her pleading eyes. “Of course, my delicate flower!”

Baby let out an amused chirp. This whole seduction thing was easy. Sanji gave in to her every whim. She didn’t know why mother had spent so much time telling her about it, it was a piece of cake. He opened a bottle for them and looked around for cups. “No cups, we’ll have to share the bottle.” He shot her a sly, eager look. “It’ll be like an indirect kiss!” The tips of his ears turned red as he passed her the bottle.

She took a swig and it burned going down. She’d only ever had saki once when she and Luffy became siblings. She’d forgotten how gross it was. Baby made a face and passed it back to Sanji. He grinned at the look on her face but took his own swig. She watched his throat as he swallowed. She had a sudden urge to bite. 

But no, Luffy and Zoro didn’t like it when she bit people. 

“An indirect kiss? What’s that?” Something he’d said finally penetrated her mind. 

“It’s like a kiss but you don’t touch directly. Sharing a fork or a bottle like this.” Sanji was wiggling in place. Baby wondered if she wanted to eat him because he looked like a worm when he did that. She shook the thought out of her head. 

“Why not just kiss directly?” She’d seen people do that all the time in the trash heap and even here, in Nami’s village. Sanji’s whole face turned red and hearts popped out of his eyes.

“Its something only lovers do, my beautiful bluebird!”

“Lovers? Like mates?”

He wiggled in what looked like happiness. “Yes! Do you want to….” He trailed off, seemingly lost in his head

Baby thought about it. Mates. Mother said they were necessary for chicks but not after. She said many sirens devoured their mates afterward. She looked at Sanji curiously. She bet he would make strong chicks. “Okay.” She agreed. “Let’s kiss. You can be my mate. I might eat you afterward though.” She licked her lips. She bet Sanji was tasty. 

Sanji’s eyes widened in awe and blood started to gush out of his nose. Seconds later, he was laying on the ground in a spluttering mess. Baby watched him wiggle and took another few swigs of her saki. It warmed her bones and was starting to taste better with every sip. She looked around surreptitiously to make sure none of her crew members were around and then let her hand creep over to Sanji’s bloody face. She cupped it in her hands and looked deep into his eyes. It was warm against her cold fingers and stubble scratched her skin. She leaned forward and licked the blood from his chin. It coated her tongue and she wanted more. 

Sanji squeaked like a little mouse. Baby felt a dark and dangerous unnamed emotion swirl in her gut. “Where do you keep that yummy sauce I like?”

The chef made a sound like he was dying. “…yummy sauce?” More blood rushed from his nose. She watched it trickle down curiously and felt fire in her veins. 

“The one you put on my dinner? I want to use it on you.” Zoro and Luffy wouldn’t be happy though. She pushed the thought away. “I’m sure you’re very tasty, Sanji.”

“AHHHH!” Sanji flew backward, out of her grip, and onto the ground. Baby felt confusion wash over her and poked him with a toe. He’d passed out? Huh?

A cool breeze blew across her flushed face and Baby suddenly realized she’d been very close to mating and eating her crewmate. She took a hasty step back and looked around sheepishly. Her foot hit the other three bottles of Saki and they clinked together. Oh wow, that stuff was strong. Better to stay away in the future. She wasn’t ready for chicks anyways. 

Baby left Sanji to his nap and walked back to the party. She was really hungry all of a sudden.

———

They left the morning of the fourth day, Nami set a course for a place called Loguetown and Baby settled back into her routine. Wake up, sing, comb her hair, then breakfast. She didn’t need to hunt every morning now but she stilled like to go on early morning flights. If she saw something tasty, she’d always bring it back for the crew. Soon, the sea kings grew too big for her to carry and she had to settle for the large tuna and seabass. 

Sanji made everything delicious though, so she didn’t mind. He went redder than a cardinal when he looked at her. She often found herself staring at him. She remembered what Nami said about his praise kink and made sure to compliment him often.

The navigator found it hilarious. “You gotta take it easy on him, Baby.” She said one day. “He’s about to spontaneously combust.”

“What’s that?” She asked while tracking the chef with her eyes. She still wanted to eat him. 

“Catch on fire.” Nami clarified. “But hey. That reminds me. I wanted to talk to you about this. I get the feeling you don’t know what really going on between you two.”

Baby turned to the navigator and chirped curiously. “With Sanji? I want to eat him. But Zoro and Luffy said I’m not allowed.”

Nami grimaced. “I don’t think you want to eat him like that. What do you know about sex?”

Baby cocked her head curiously. “Like how to get chicks? Not a lot. I know you have to seduce a mate, then they give you eggs, and then you eat them.”

“Yeah. No. That’s not how humans do it.”

“Really? Mother said my sire was a human. Most sirens have human fathers. I don’t think mother ate mine though.”

“Really? I didn’t know that.” Nami looked interested.

“Yeah, boy sirens are really rare. It doesn’t really matter though, every siren is born a full-blooded siren. It the magic of the goddess that flows through us.”

“Huh. You learn something new every day.” Nami shook her head. “That’s not what I want to talk about though. You learned how to be human from Luffy, right?”

Baby nodded. Luffy was a great teacher.

“So there’s something you probably don’t know. Like sex and basic facts of life. Or manners or anything really.” Nami shot a skeptical glance at her brother. “Luffy’s not a good person to model your behavior on.” 

Baby clucked, offended on her brother’s behalf. “Luffy’s a great brother.”

“I’m sure he is.” She paused. “Now listen up! I’m only explaining this once. Sex is something two people who like each other a lot do. You want to have sex with Sanji, you don’t want to eat him!”

Baby was pretty sure she wanted to eat the cook but she’d hear the other out. “Sex is how you get chicks. But you can take precautions so that doesn’t happen.” Nami continued.

“I don’t get it.” Baby interrupted. “How do you have sex?”

Nami flushed a little and cleared her throat. “Fine. We’ll start from the very beginning.”

Baby listen for the next hour as Nami explained what she called the birds and the bees. It was very interesting stuff. She found herself intrigued. When the navigator was done, Baby found her gaze drawn towards the galley. Sanji was in there making dinner. 

Nami had given her a lot to think about though. Baby needed to contemplate it all before making a move.

——-

Baby found herself exploring alone in Loguetown. The rest of her crew all had errands and Luffy went to see some execution tower of something. Nami had given her some beri to spend on anything that caught her eye. The navigator would be buying some new clothes for her so Baby didn’t need to worry about that. 

She’d never really had money to spend before. Luffy and she just took what they needed usually. She contemplated the shops around her before a familiar smell caught her attention. It smelled like Luffy but not? Her feet followed it before she could stop them. She sniffed again. Gramps? No. 

She followed her nose into a dark alley where she was roughly gripped and pinned to a wall. Her talons sprung out and attempted to impale the other but they only ended up glancing off what felt like steel. “Who are you? Why are you following me?” Her attacker growled out. 

She sniffed again. Oh yeah. She knew who this was. Baby looked up into a heavily tattooed face. “Luffy’s sire?”

The grip on her shoulder tightened. “Who are you?” He asked again. She looked into his eyes. They were the same fathomless, dark pupils of Luffy and Gramps.

“Luffy’s nestmate, errr I mean sister.”

He growled. “What does a siren want with my son?” The man was large and intimidating but Baby found it hard to feel scared. He was so familiar to those she associated with home, nest, safety that it was difficult to remember this was a stranger.

She clucked disapprovingly at him. “He’s my brother. And Gramps is mine too. You smell just like them.”

He held her up for another minute, testing her and making sure she wasn’t lying. Baby gazed into his eyes and tried to find any differences from Luffy but there were the same. 

Luffy’s sire set her back on her feet and Baby retracted her talons. “Dragon. Nice to meet you.”

Baby cocked her head to the side. Names were indicative of what someone was. Luffy’s sire was a dragon? Baby had to admit that was pretty cool. It made sense too. Her brother greedily hoarded people just like a dragon hoarded gold. He was also selfish and the last thing you ever wanted to do was make him angry. “Dragon. I’m Baby. Luffy told me he was born from the ocean.” She looked expectantly at him.

“Hmm. How is my son?” 

“He’s good. My captain too. We’re headed to the Grand Line.” 

Dragon nodded. “A fine adventure.” he stepped back. “Farewell.” He went to walk away and Baby followed. He glanced back at her. “Did you want something?”

“No?” 

Dragon tried to walk away again and Baby followed. He spun around with a scowl. “Then what are you still following me?”

“Well if Luffy’s my brother and Gramps is your father then that means we should be family too, right?”

“No.” Dragon rejected without hesitation.

“Luffy said all you need to do to become a family is share a drink.” Baby gazed up at Dragon with wides eyes. “Do you know where we can get some saki?”

“We aren’t family.” Dragon scowled at her. “Sirens don’t typically have families.”

“I want one though. I hate being alone.”

The large man hesitated then swirled around. She followed him. When they ended up at a bar, Baby couldn’t help but grin. Success!

“Will you tell Luffy you met me?” Dragon asked after they shared their ceremonial saki.

Baby shrugged with a smug grin at her new family member. A whole trio of godlings was quite the accomplishment! “He won’t care.”

“I suppose not.” 

Dragon threw back the rest of his drink. “I must be going, Baby. Until we meet again.”

Baby chirped out a farewell. “Bye, visit again soon!” She watched him swirl out the door with a dramatic twirl of his coat. What an interested dragon. 

She finished the rest of her drink then left to head back towards the Going Merry. The sky was slowly darkening with ominous clouds and Baby would hate to get her feathers wet in the rain. The beri jingled in her pocket. She’d save it for later. 

———

Reverse mountain was a thrilling ride all the way to the top. The current threw all her crewmates above the clouds for the first time in their lives. She trilled in triumph as they all let out victorious cries. The adventure was finally starting!

The trip down was less exhilarating, if only for the giant whale blocking their path. Baby watched her brother stab it in the eye with his fist and wonder what the whale tasted like. 

She didn’t have long to contemplate it before the whale was eating her! “No! Bad whale! I’m not food, YOU ARE!” She clutched the railing of the ship and was only vaguely aware of her brother falling off. Seconds turned into minutes before Baby opened her eyes to blue skies. 

What?

Where was the wind? Why did it smell so bad?

Her crewmates were just as confused around her. She spotted an old man reading a paper on a little island and fluttered over to him. He watched her approach and perch on his chair but didn’t move until a giant squid lunged out of the water. He grabbed the harpoon laying next to him and pierced the squid in one blow. Baby let out an impressed whistle. Maybe he would share? She chirped curiously. 

“It’s not polite to ask to share without introducing yourself, birdy.” The old man scolded her.

He spoke bird! She chittered excitedly for a moment. Bird or siren or human?

“Human.” He grunted as he hauled in his catch. “Just old. We had a siren on my old pirate crew.”

Baby felt her eyes widen. She thought she was the only siren pirate!

“Nope. Now, I’m Crocus. Who are you?”

Baby. She chirped and tilted her head towards the Merry. Those are nestmates. 

“Baby, huh? You know you’re supposed to choose a different name for yourself when you hit puberty, right?”

Hmm? What did he mean? She was Baby. She clucked curiously. 

The old man sighed and cut off a sliver of squid for her. She gobbled it down.“I never did understand the Siren habit of leaving chicks so early and barely teaching them anything.”

Baby crowed her agreement. She had hated it when mother left.

“Hmm.” The old man nodded towards her crewmates. “They seem worried.”

She looked over. They looked normal to her. With a flap of wing, Baby turned human-shaped and called them over. “Come meet my new friend!”

Crocus looked at her curiously and handed her more squid. “You kids are pretty young to be sailing the Grand Line.”

She slurped the squid down before answering. “What’s age got to do with it?”

He laughed. “Fair enough.”

“Who are you, old man!” Sanji shouted as Crocus fed her another piece of squid. This time she just snatched it from his hand with her teeth. He must have been pretty good friends with the siren on his crew before. Good enough to speak bird and cut off the best part of the squid for her anyway. “OY! Stay away from Baby!”

Crocus shouted back. “It’s rude to not introduce yourself first!” and before long the old man was teasing her crewmates. Baby turned back into her bird shape and used her sharp beak to tear into a tentacle.

“Baby! My darling, please let me prepare the squid for you!” Sanji was calling out to her. She swallowed her mouthful then fluttered over to the cook. When she perched on his shoulder, she leaned in to nuzzle him in thanks. Get to it! She chirped.

Before he could follow through, a hatch in the ceiling opened and her brother came falling through the sky with two others. Baby sighed. No rest for the wicked and chaotic. 

She threw herself into the air and by the time she caught Luffy she was half human and holding him gently in her arms. Two splashes followed as the others fell into the water. Or stomach acid? Baby wasn’t sure.

“Shishishishi. Thanks, Baby! Great catch!”

Baby preened. “I’m very good at catching things.”

“Shishishi!” She set him gently onto the deck then hopped up to the crow’s nest for a nap. Now that the captain was back, he and Zoro could handle things. Baby was sleepy from a full belly and all the excitement of the day. She curled up and let her wings shield her face. She hardly ever slept in this form but she wanted to be ready for anything now that they were in the belly of a beast.

———

Baby woke up to Sanji clucking over another blue-haired girl and did not like it one bit. They were out of the whale and docked near some cliffs. She flew in threatening circles around the tied-up woman and her partner. Slowly getting closer and closer to tearing their eyes out with every completed loop.

Apparently, they were hitching a ride with them. Baby hated it. She hated it worse than when the bounty hunters sailed with them. Intruders in her nest. It made her tense and jumpy. 

Luffy was fighting the giant whale over something, Nami was admiring her new log pose, Usopp was trying to patch up the Merry, and Sanji was cooking up some really tasty fish to go with Crocus’ squid. 

With one last glance at the intruders, Baby flew over to perch on Sanji’s shoulder. He greeted her with a gentle smile. “Nice nap, Baby?”

She chirped in irritation. Mate. Mine. Hungry.

Sanji picked up some raw fish he’d set aside and hand-fed her a few slices. Baby slowly soothed her ruffled feathers until she was nuzzling into Sanji’s neck. He blushed again but focused back on cooking. 

When he was done, Sanji set the table and then tried to serve the blue hair intruder a plate, Baby bit his ear in reprimand. No! Mine. 

“Ehh, Baby?” Sanji asked as he froze.

She fluttered in front of the chef then turned human-shaped. “No Sanji. I don’t like it when you fawn over her. Only me and Nami is okay. "

Sanji’s eyes turned into hearts. “Oh, my little jealous bluebird. Your cute, pouting face is piercing my heart! Whatever you want!” He tried to start his worm dance but Baby grabbed him by his tie and pulled him close to her until their breath mingled. 

“Remember on Nami’s island?” His face was flushing more by the second but he nodded. “I wasn’t joking. But I’ll take it all back if you make me angry!”

Sanji croaked out an agreement. He was bleeding out of his nose again. Baby nodded. “Now feed me what’s on that plate.”

“Anything you want, Beautiful Baby!” Baby made him sit on the ground with her settled across from him. She licked all the sauce off his fingers with each bite and didn’t release him until she was satisfied. 

“Good boy.” She said eventually and pulled back with a smug smile. 

Sanji spluttered out a hoarse “thanks,” and ran off in a frantic flurry. Baby watched in contentment as he didn’t go near the blue-haired intruder for the rest of the night. 

——-

Whiskey Peak was an odd place. Baby didn’t know why but it made her want to puff out her feathers in discontent. The rest of her crew were partying in happiness but Baby’s had a fire burning in her belly the entire day. 

Across the room, several girls were fawning over Sanji. She scowled. An older woman saw her look and chuckled. “There’s a room free up the stairs, sweetie.”

“With a bed?” Baby asked. Nami said it was best on a bed.

The older women nodded. “Sure is. Towels too.” Baby nodded her thanks and stood up. She wouldn’t be needing towels for anything. She marched over to Sanji and yanked him up by his tie. 

“Follow me.” She ordered. He blushed scarlet. 

“Anything for you, Baby.” She felt satisfaction fill her as his entire focus turned towards her. The other girls around him didn’t matter. He followed her wordlessly up the stairs and into the free room. 

“Sit.” She gestured to the bed. Sanji was nervous, she could smell it in the air. He kept fidgeting with his hands. Baby felt a sense of calm fill her. She walked closer until their breath was mingling again. He smelled like tobacco. “I want you to show me how to kiss.”

“I don’t-” Sanji stopped. “I’m not- I mean I’ve never kissed anyone before.”

Baby cocked her head. “No? Me neither.” She leaned forward. “Do you want me to stop?”

“NO! - I mean. No please, Baby, don’t stop.” He pleaded with her. Baby liked it. She liked that he was trembling for her. It made her feel powerful, especially knowing that the cook was stronger than her. He was letting her take control. Giving it up completely. 

She hovered over his lips waiting for him to push forward. He didn’t and she smiled. Sanji really was a good boy. She closed the few millimeters between them and felt his breath catch as their lips grazed each other. 

His hands came up tentatively to settle lightly on her hips. She grabbed his wrist and pushed them down firmly until he was touching her with his entire hands. She pushed forward with her lips until they were solidly against his. Stubble scratched at her chin. Sanji whimpered just slightly below her. She pulled back just to press back in and he used his hold on her lips to pull her into him.

This time it was Baby that let out a whimper. She nipped at his bottom lip and pulled another sound from the blonde. His tongue came out and grazed hers. She chased it all the way back into his mouth until their panting breaths filled the room. 

Babby pulled back to see Sanji’s flushed face better and she clutched her close to hide his blush in her shoulder. His face scratched on her bare shoulder and Baby shivered. Her lips were on fire and her chin felt rubbed raw from his stubble. His breath puffed on her bare neck and ignited the fire in her stomach. 

She grabbed his blonde hair in a fist and pushed his face into her neck. Sanji didn’t disappoint. His tongue came out to caress the skin there, he worked her skin until her sensitive ear lobe was between his teeth and he nibbled gently. 

“Aahh…” A cry escaped her before she knew it. Sanji lifted his head to gaze at her with heavy lids. 

“You okay, Baby?” His voice was husky with want and she nodded before diving down to his neck to return the favor. Soon, Sanji was the one crying out in pleasure. His hands slid up her waist to the straps on her dress. “May I?”

She nodded and he pulled her dress down until her breasts popped out with a bounce. Nami had tried to get her to wear a bra and underwear, Baby had refused point-blank. The restricting clothes were bad enough. Sanji gazed at her chest like a starving man and Baby suddenly recalled the stories mother used to tell her about men being driven crazy by sirens.

It was easy to believe when the dark, coveting look on Sanji’s face filled her gaze. He leaned forward until he could bury his face between her breast and let his tongue come out again to leave wet trails all the way to her nipples. He took one in his mouth and Baby let out another cry as he sucked on it. She grabbed fistfuls of her hair in each hand and pressed him harder against her. He sucked and sucked until she pulled him off with a loud pop just to transferred him to her other nipple. 

Time ceased to have any meaning as Sanji devoured her breast and Baby lost herself in a haze of pleasure. 

When she finally let him up, her entire chest was covered in red marks and slowly darkening bruises. Sanji gazed over the marks with a satisfied look and Baby felt claimed. She drew him back to her lips and they kissed again, her bare chest and sensitive nipples scratching on the material of his suit. He brought his hands up to grab fistfuls of her breast. “They’re perfect. Beautiful. You’re breathtaking, Baby.”

“Yeah?” She panted out. She didn’t think this would be so all-consuming. He nodded. “Nami told me about something else I want to try.”

“Whatever you want.” He agreed. She dropped to her knees in front of her and nuzzled into the hardness hidden by his pants. He gasped. “You want…? Are you sure?”

Baby nodded. “Take it out for me?” 

Slowly, Sanji trailed his hands over her hair and down her collarbones. They reached his belt and buttons. Seconds later Baby was staring at his hardness and she watched curiously as he ran a hand down it. She leaned forward and ran her cheek up and down the side of it. “Baby. Baby, Oh my god.”

“Do you want me to suck on it, Sanji?”

“Please, please. Anything you want.” He was panting when Baby decided to run her tongue along his length. She didn’t really know what she was doing but Sanji was so reactive it wasn’t hard to figure out what he likes. When she took the head in her mouth, he groaned loudly and the salty taste of him unexpectedly flooded her mouth when she sucked. “Shit,” He panted in shock. “I’m so sorry Baby, I didn’t mean to come in your mouth. God and so fast too.”

She swirled the taste around on her tongue and swallowed. Baby licked her lips to chase the last drops down. “I liked it. I knew you’d be tasty.” She smirked up at his disheveled for. “You like it?”

“I loved it. You’re perfect. Come here.” He pulled her back first into his lap and kissed her again. Baby still felt the fire in her gut, she wanted more, but she was satisfied for now. Sanji trailed a hand down her leg until it hooked under her dress. His palm was hot on her thigh as he slid it back up. Baby whimpered as he grazed her core. Oh. That felt good.

“Is this okay?” He whispered hotly in her ear. She nodded. A large finger ran up her lips and glanced off her clit. She let out of groan of pleasure. “Oh my god, Baby. You’re so wet. No panties?”

“No,” she gasped out. “I never wear them.” He groaned in her ear again. 

“That’s so hot, You’re so hot. Oh my god, you’re flooding my hand.” Baby certainly agreed with that, Her core had never been this wet before. He circled her clit with his finger before sliding it down. It split her open as he found her opening and pushed in. Baby cried out. Nothing had even been in her before. “Are you okay?”

Baby threw her head back on Sanji’s shoulder. Her bared and bruised breast heaved in the air as Sanji wrapped around her from behind and played her masterfully. “Move! Sanji, please!”

He listened to her and drew his finger out with a wet squelch just to slowly push it back in. His palm rubbed against her clit with every slow thrust and Baby thought she might go mad with it. “More! Give me more Sanji!” She demanded.

Sanji bit her earlobe as he slid in a second finger. Baby cried out in pleasure. He kept teasing her and she felt something building as he moved in and out of her body. When he moved his mouth to bit down on her neck, Baby exploded with a gasping cry. He didn’t stop moving his hand until her trembles had slowed. Waves of pleasure crashed down on her even then. 

Finally, when she couldn’t take it anymore, she pushed his hand away. He pulled it out with a wet squelch and Baby felt her legs trembled from where she’d been holding herself open on her lap. Sanji brought his hand up to his mouth and licked it. He chuckled hoarsely, “Ha, I knew you’d be tasty too.”

Baby felt a grin build on her lips and turned so she could snuggle into the blonde chest. “We should do that again.”

“Right now?” Sanji asked eagerly. Baby was on the cusp of agreeing when a huge explosion rocked the town outside their window. She sighed. Her brother sure knew how to get into trouble. She slid from Sanji’s lap to stand and would have fallen straight to the ground when her legs threatened to give out if he hadn’t caught her. 

“We better go make sure they aren’t destroying everything.” She said with a disappointed pout. Sanji hugged her to him for a moment before letting her go with a similar sigh. 

“Yeah,” He pulled her dress up until her straps were in the correct place and pull it down until she was covered. “You look beautiful like this.”

She let him have a final kiss then pulled away. “Come on, there’s probably fighting to be had.”

——

Having been with Sanji settled something in Baby. She wasn’t so against the blue-haired intruder. Even when she found out her name was Vivi, she was secretly a princess, and Luffy had promised to take her home. 

It helped that her legs were still a little shaky and Sanji blushed madly every time he looked at her. She felt very smug and satisfied. Like the canary that’d caught the cat. 

Once they’d left Whiskey Peak behind, Nami cornered her in the girl’s dorm for all the juicy details. Vivi was there too. Baby didn’t mind, it gave her the perfect chance to stake her claim in vivid detail. 

The princess was bright red by the end of her retelling and Nami was fanning herself. “Woah, that’s hot.”

Baby agreed. “It was very hot.”

Nami shot her a sly look. “You shouldn’t tell Luffy. Your big brother might get overprotective.” She giggled as she said it so Baby didn’t take her too seriously. Luffy wouldn’t care. 

“Wait, Baby. Luffy’s your brother?” Vivi asked. Her cheeks were still rosy but her eyes were wide with surprise. 

Baby nodded. Nami piped up with an explanation. “Adopted from what I can tell. Actually, Vivi. You and Baby look more like sisters than Baby and Luffy.”

“Oh? You think so? I’m an only child.” 

Baby begrudgingly agreed. “Only because we both have blue hair.”

The other girls giggled at the look on her face. “Don’t worry, Baby. Vivi isn’t going to try and replace Luffy in your heart.”

“Nobody could replace my big brother.” Baby said loyally. “He’s the best.”

Nami snickered at her. “Sure he is, Baby.”

“Luffy seems very err, very strong,” Vivi added. 

Baby preened. “Yes!” She chirped. “He is!” Maybe Vivi wasn’t so bad after all.

———

The air currents on the Grand Line were very different from those in the East Blue. Baby and the crew soon found out as crazy, unexpected weather battered them from every angle at all times. 

After one such storm that required all hands on deck, Baby found herself exhausted. She settled in her favorite spot on the deck, her warm green nest, and dozed off. Zoro barely twitched underneath her. She was glad he seemed to be healing well from all his wounds.

The smell of dinner woke her hours later and she fluttered off towards the galley, but not before awakening her tree-errr crewmate with a tug on his hair. 

Sanji was plating a veritable feast. Baby’s mouth was already watering. He seemed a little tense so she made sure to nuzzle into him on her way to her seat. He snagged her wrist and held out a morsel for her to taste. She took it with her teeth and cranberries exploded on her tongue. But it was fish? Her head cocked and Sanji grinned at her confusion. “You like it?”

“It’s so good, Sanji.” Baby felt a mischievous smile creep up her lips and leaned in until her mouth was by his ears. “But not as tasty as you.” He stopped breathing entirely and Baby pulled back with a smug grin and a wink. Maybe they could have sex again later?

She ate her cranberry fish for dinner and felt the joy of her crew surrounding her. Baby was extraordinarily happy. She was going on an adventure with loyal friends at her side, fighting strong people, and eating delicious food every day. She snuck a glimpse at Sanji. And maybe the future had more in store for them. Baby couldn’t wait to find out.

**Author's Note:**

> I might add some other works/oneshots in this one day, but for now its just this. I can tell you that when Baby decides she wants chicks one day and Sanji can't tell her no, it turns out to be triplets. Three girl sirens for Sanji to help raise in the back of his famous restaurant in the middle of the All Blue, with Unlce Luffy making frequent visits to whisk them all off for adventure.


End file.
